The statements in this section merely provide background information related to the present disclosure and may not constitute prior art.
Navigation of vessels in water environments such as ports, bays, sounds and rivers can be highly complex due, for example, to variations in current, winds, water depth, weather, and structures and/or obstacles in and/or under the water. Vessel characteristics such as size, draft and speed capability also can vary from one vessel to another. Additionally, a navigator may be required to observe port-specific policies imposed, for example, by a port authority or vessel operator, while at the same time adhering to shipping company policies and procedures. Thus a vessel's master may be required to cooperate with a port pilot who may take over control of the vessel during navigation through particular areas. It can be seen that the foregoing considerations tend to be highly specific to a given navigation environment and to a given vessel.